How is this new news? You can be arrested for drunk driving while simply walking to your car or sleeping on the hood. Or if you're in the car and your keys are in the glove box. It happens all the time. It sends a message that you might as well go for it and try to make it home because what's the difference?

I was a salesman then at JC Penny, meaning I stood around wearing a suit trying to sell men's clothing. (Think so boring that you try not to fall asleep while standing up.)

I was a hard drinker back then, and after work hit my favorite bar. It was winter and it was real cold that night. Blitzed, I left the bar, hopped in my car, decided I was too drunk to drive and went to sleep. I woke up a few hours later to find the bar closed, freezing my arse off, alone in the parking lot. So I turned on the car to get the heater working, still too drunk, and dozed off.

About an hour later, the cops pounded on my window and asked what I was doing. So, I told them, admitting I was too drunk to drive even as they administered the sobriety test and came, wisely, to the same conclusion. When asked why my car was running, I rather incredulously pointed out my thin summer suit verses the nearly freezing temperature.

I was arrested, taken to the station and given a breath test. (No portables then.) I blew .19. So, I was charged and taken home. I had to recover my car the next day.

It was explained to me that if I wanted to sober up at a bar, to lock my keys in the trunk -- which to still drunk me sounded like a stupid idea. Even sober it sounded like a stupid idea. So long as I had the keys in my possession, there was the possibility of me deciding just to drive off. Drunk.

Drunks are not known for their brilliant reasoning.

It cost me a bit to hire a lawyer, get the charges dropped before court and my clean record helped a lot. However, after that, when plastered, I either drove home anyway or drove to the nearest restaurant for coffee and food to sober up.

I decided that it was too expensive to be a 'good citizen' back then.

The bar today is an Arby's right next to a gas station. I stopped drinking in '95. Yet, when I drive by that area, I still recall the incident today.

The cop who arrested me? He had been one of the leaders of an Explorer Scout Troop I had been a member of as a kid some years prior, so he knew me. The troop? Police Scouts.

I was a salesman then at JC Penny, meaning I stood around wearing a suit trying to sell men's clothing. (Think so boring that you try not to fall asleep while standing up.)

I was a hard drinker back then, and after work hit my favorite bar. It was winter and it was real cold that night. Blitzed, I left the bar, hopped in my car, decided I was too drunk to drive and went to sleep. I woke up a few hours later to find the bar closed, freezing my arse off, alone in the parking lot. So I turned on the car to get the heater working, still too drunk, and dozed off.

About an hour later, the cops pounded on my window and asked what I was doing. So, I told them, admitting I was too drunk to drive even as they administered the sobriety test and came, wisely, to the same conclusion. When asked why my car was running, I rather incredulously pointed out my thin summer suit verses the nearly freezing temperature.

I was arrested, taken to the station and given a breath test. (No portables then.) I blew .19. So, I was charged and taken home. I had to recover my car the next day.

It was explained to me that if I wanted to sober up at a bar, to lock my keys in the trunk -- which to still drunk me sounded like a stupid idea. Even sober it sounded like a stupid idea. So long as I had the keys in my possession, there was the possibility of me deciding just to drive off. Drunk.

Drunks are not known for their brilliant reasoning.

It cost me a bit to hire a lawyer, get the charges dropped before court and my clean record helped a lot. However, after that, when plastered, I either drove home anyway or drove to the nearest restaurant for coffee and food to sober up.

I decided that it was too expensive to be a 'good citizen' back then.

The bar today is an Arby's right next to a gas station. I stopped drinking in '95. Yet, when I drive by that area, I still recall the incident today.

The cop who arrested me? He had been one of the leaders of an Explorer Scout Troop I had been a member of as a kid some years prior, so he knew me. The troop? Police Scouts.

NC law (for those who care): § 20‑138.1. Impaired driving.(a) Offense. - A person commits the offense of impaired driving if he drives any vehicle upon any highway, any street, or any public vehicular area within this State:(1) While under the influence of an impairing substance; or(2) After having consumed sufficient alcohol that he has, at any relevant time after the driving, an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more. The results of a chemical analysis shall be deemed sufficient evidence to prove a person's alcohol concentration; or(3) With any amount of a Schedule I controlled substance, as listed in G.S. 90‑89, or its metabolites in his blood or urine.

So, yeah, to be safe: be anywhere but near your car if you're over the limit.

Jon iz teh kewl:why do people always call 911 if it's not a problem. but in the back of the mind they know their being gay but do it anyway

Would you want to be the person that saw a drunk person in a car, did nothing about it and then they kill or hurt somebody later? So they're sleeping now, but that doesn't mean they'll be sober when they do decide to drive. The chances are slim, but why take the chance?

Honest Bender:Lumpmoose: Lessons in jury nullification need to be taught in high school.

Lessons in criminal justice need to be taught in high school. You don't get a jury trial for a DUI conviction.

Your profile says you live in CA, where a quick Google tells me you can get a jury for a DUI trial. I haven't heard of anywhere you -can't- have a jury trial for DUI, especially if there is a chance you can end up in jail.You have to request a jury trial, but that is your right.

There was a story here (B.C.) where a girl was "warned" that if she left her windows rolled down again she would be ticketed... http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=41177

All police in Canada are just tax collectors who's only job is to issue tickets! They never catch anyone stealing or vandalizing or murdering, just give tickets to people drinking in public or driving 10km over the 30km speed limit downtown..

We can go to a bar but we cannot leave the bar drunk! Walking home - ticket, waiting for a cab - ticket etc..

/rant off (lots of good police around here.. But it only takes about 83% of the force to make the rest look bad)

buzzcut73:Honest Bender: Lumpmoose: Lessons in jury nullification need to be taught in high school.

Lessons in criminal justice need to be taught in high school. You don't get a jury trial for a DUI conviction.Your profile says you live in CA, where a quick Google tells me you can get a jury for a DUI trial. I haven't heard of anywhere you -can't- have a jury trial for DUI, especially if there is a chance you can end up in jail.You have to request a jury trial, but that is your right.

I'm the product of California public school. I'm making your point for you. You're welcome.

Mugato:How is this new news? You can be arrested for drunk driving while simply walking to your car or sleeping on the hood. Or if you're in the car and your keys are in the glove box. It happens all the time. It sends a message that you might as well go for it and try to make it home because what's the difference?

buzzcut73:Honest Bender: Lumpmoose: Lessons in jury nullification need to be taught in high school.

Lessons in criminal justice need to be taught in high school. You don't get a jury trial for a DUI conviction.Your profile says you live in CA, where a quick Google tells me you can get a jury for a DUI trial. I haven't heard of anywhere you -can't- have a jury trial for DUI, especially if there is a chance you can end up in jail.You have to request a jury trial, but that is your right.

Pennsylvania.

No jury trial for a first time offense. They can also knock on your door for up to 2 hours after you get home and arrest you for DUI if you're over .08

Thingster:buzzcut73: Honest Bender: Lumpmoose: Lessons in jury nullification need to be taught in high school.

Lessons in criminal justice need to be taught in high school. You don't get a jury trial for a DUI conviction.Your profile says you live in CA, where a quick Google tells me you can get a jury for a DUI trial. I haven't heard of anywhere you -can't- have a jury trial for DUI, especially if there is a chance you can end up in jail.You have to request a jury trial, but that is your right.

Pennsylvania.

No jury trial for a first time offense. They can also knock on your door for up to 2 hours after you get home and arrest you for DUI if you're over .08

Well, that's a damn good reason to have a nice bottle of whiskey and have a stiff drink as soon as you get home, and in your hand if they come knocking.

The pigs will not ticket you if you're sleeping on the bed in your van. Can can even be sitting in the van with the side doors open, drinking a beer and as long as your rig isn't running and damned if you know where the keys are *wink wink* you're going to be ok. Just be cool about it. I've seen it happen so many times that I went out and bought a van.

I hate the cops with undying passion. Yet I"ll give them a pass for not farking with the van.

So, If my car is in my garage, and the keys are on my counter. I still have access to my keys and my car. So if I get drunk in my house, with no intent on driving. I can be arrested for a DUI because of accessibility?

Oh man, do I ever have that memorized. We share a back lane with a school, so on summer weekends we see lots of 'local wildlife' making camp in the shade.

Booze or not, I make the call. My biggest complaint with it is that the dispatcher seems to need answers to 50 different varification questions before they make the bulletin."What does he look like?""He looks like a dude taking a piss against a school."

Is there actually a statistically significant precedence for sleeping drunks accidentally putting their car in gear and hurting someone? How about from the back seat? And how does that compare to accidents caused by sleeping sober drivers?

That line of reasoning as to why sleeping in a car is enough for a DUI seems totally bogus to me.

Oh man, do I ever have that memorized. We share a back lane with a school, so on summer weekends we see lots of 'local wildlife' making camp in the shade.

Booze or not, I make the call. My biggest complaint with it is that the dispatcher seems to need answers to 50 different varification questions before they make the bulletin."What does he look like?""He looks like a dude taking a piss against a school."

The only time I've ever called 911, I'd been waiting at a bus stop in the heat, and the bus was ridiculously late, and a man who'd been waiting longer than me was passing out. We all pooled water and drinks and food and the men at the stop were trying to keep him conscious and find out if he had medical problems. I called 911 because they were busy, but the dispatcher was basically asking me this guy's entire medical history. He was a stranger, barely able to stay alert for a few seconds at a time with two guys working hard at it. He was in no shape to answer, the guys keeping him conscious got a few answers, he was collapsing when he tried to stand and walk.. The woman asked so many questions that eventually the bus got there and I told her to forget it, since I knew the bus driver would keep an eye on the guy and he probably just needed to get out of the heat anyway. The bus driver and everyone on the bus (it was crowded) helped him stay in his seat and made sure he was cool enough and kept him sipping water and made sure the bus driver knew his stop and transfers and had people helping him get home.

Thingster:buzzcut73: Honest Bender: Lumpmoose: Lessons in jury nullification need to be taught in high school.

Lessons in criminal justice need to be taught in high school. You don't get a jury trial for a DUI conviction.Your profile says you live in CA, where a quick Google tells me you can get a jury for a DUI trial. I haven't heard of anywhere you -can't- have a jury trial for DUI, especially if there is a chance you can end up in jail.You have to request a jury trial, but that is your right.

Pennsylvania.

No jury trial for a first time offense. They can also knock on your door for up to 2 hours after you get home and arrest you for DUI if you're over .08

doloresonthedottedline:The woman asked so many questions that eventually the bus got there and I told her to forget it

They have to ask stuff even if you don't know it for liability reasons, it's perfectly fine to keep saying "I don't know." Also keep in mind that the dispatcher doesn't finish the call, jump in an ambulance and head over, they tell the ambulance where to go pretty much as soon as the have the location and a phone # and update the responders while they're driving.

Matt Foley:"What does he look like?""He looks like a dude taking a piss against a school."

Unless he's going to be pissing until anyone gets there that description isn't going to help especially given how long it takes the cops to show up.

That's nothing. A few years ago a buddy of mine got busted for DUI when the keys weren't even in the ignition. I got him acquitted by testifying to the truth but almost got locked up in the process: prosecutors & judges just HATE it when you say things like "Look fool, for the 50th time the car was not on and the keys were in his pocket. Car not on car not go! You try it sometime."

10 minutes after him I was busted for Disorderly Intoxication, because instead of staggering home directly I went back to lock his car doors. He had a good bit of heroin in the glove compartment, packaged for sale, along with 10 new needles, which thanks to me was waiting for him for when he got out the next day. Did I get a freebie for that? What a friggin' ingrate.

The fool gave himself a hotshot a few years later. Stupid junkies: call it something like "Red Death" and they'll line up to buy it, then after a few OD to death you can charge 'em double. Self-hatred, how does that work?